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Maori chiefs. The third, who was the one “Chips” fancied most, was only “tapu” to a Native of no pretensions as to blue blood, residing at Mohaka. However, Te Hapuka didn’t care whether he had a right to them or not; he wanted his boat mended, and “Chips” wanted some one to look after his whâre and cook for him, so the bargain was concluded, “Chips” selecting the young lady who was betrothed to the Maori of “low degree.” It will thus be seen that “Chips” gained his bride (his present wife) by repairing the boat for which Banks Peninsula was sold to Hempleman!

Now, the Maori to whom “Chips” wife had been betrothed was exceedingly wroth, and so were all the rest of the family; but “Chips” did not care for this, being protected by the powerful Te Hapuka, and by and by these new relatives of his came to the conclusion that it was not a bad thing at all to have a Pakeha Maori for a near connection, and became reconciled to the match. A new trouble, however, soon arose. Te Hapuka, directly his boat was mended, got tired of “Chips,” and formed the plan of taking the wife he had given him away, because, having learned something of European cooking and behaviour from “Chips,” he thought she would be a good wife to his (Te Hapuka’s) son. “Chips” was kept in strict ignorance of this, but the father of Ene Mari Ropini, for such was her name, was spoken to. Now, he was perfectly satisfied with “Chips,” who, in his opinion, had given “utu” enough for his daughter; and besides, he knew the girl was attached to “Chips,” and would suffer from a separation. He did not, however, dare to express his thoughts openly while Te Hapuka was near, so he dissembled, and pretended that he would acquiesce in the arrangement in a short time. One day he went to “Chips,” who was building a boat in the bush, and said to him, “If I were you I should build that